Weber Kettle Club Forums

Now that I've gotten to use the Slow N Sear more I think I can give it an honest review. I've used it about 10 times or so with my Weber Kettle 22inch. First off I have to apologize for my comments in the past about the Slow N Sear. I complained about the temperatures not holding properly and totally gave off the impression that there was some serious false advertisement when it came to the unit.

The Slow N Sear does extend the life of your charcoal by quite a bit. There's no comparison really. I tried doing the two zone method with the slow n sear and a different time using the same amount that would fill a slow n sear piled up on the side of the kettle. The Slow N Sear gave me a lot more hours and also made it easier to hold the temperature.

My main issue with using the Slow N Sear is I tried to get my grill hot too fast. If my goal was 250 I'd try to get it there as fast as possible. This made maintaining that temperature very difficult and it's tough to hold a temp using any method. I found if I let the temps creep up which is what is recommended by the slow n sear instructions it worked as advertised. I was even able to walk away from the grill for hours without fear of some crazy temp swings.

I cooked 1 butt, 2 shoulders, 1 whole chicken, 2 racks of ribs, steak, burgers, chicken breasts and various other things. All of the food came out great. The Slow N Sear just makes things easier. It's definitely worth the price and I recommend it to anyone who's been looking at it and not pulling the trigger. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully. Any straying can lead to improper results with how your kettle cooks.

Regarding slower startup, is the intention to put some lit coals over cold ones?

Say you wanted enough heat to sear a steak. How long would it take to get there, and about what would the rest of the grate temp be, away from it?

Quote from: addicted-to-smoke on April 28, 2016, 11:10:37 AM
Regarding slower startup, is the intention to put some lit coals over cold ones?

Say you wanted enough heat to sear a steak. How long would it take to get there, and about what would the rest of the grate temp be, away from it?

I have gone from a slow cook with the SNS to a hot searing cook.  I just opened up the vents and left the top off for a little bit to let the coals get cranking.  I don't remember how long it took, but think it was a little less time than getting a chimney going would have taken.  I haven't measure the indirect side when using the SNS for reverse sear but can tell you it is quite a bit cooker than the hot side.   My last reverse sear was thick NY strips and the SNS did awesome.  Cooked indirect until 115-120, then seared the steaks on each side on the hot side....and it was hot!  It's a searing machine!  I'm pretty sure I used an almost full chimney of lit KBB then added one our two chunks of wood.

To add to my previous post, when I sent from slow and low to hot I think I might have stirred up the coals a bit and moved some hot coals around so it would get more unlit coals going.

I find it the same way as @MikeRocksTheRed. It's great for reverse sear. 110-115 on the indirect, 1-1.5 minutes or so on each side for sear. Poof. Done.

Quote from: BBQFiend on April 28, 2016, 09:57:44 AM
...The Slow N Sear gave me a lot more hours and also made it easier to hold the temperature...

...I was even able to walk away from the grill for hours without fear of some crazy temp swings...

...The Slow N Sear just makes things easier...

...Any straying can lead to improper results with how your kettle cooks...

I agree it simplifies things quite a bit and frees you from watching the temps constantly, but "straying" is part of the fun

I only have 2 cooks now using my Slow N Sear on my 22" Performer and so far I love it.  I did NY Strip steak that was one of the best I have done - first time I did a reverse sear so that could have been part of it.  Also did a chicken quarters cook this past weekend and followed the advice of lighting half a chimney and dumping in and closing down the vents at 270.  It hit 340 then slowly stabilised at 330.  Seems like a winner for sure.

I'll be honest, I've never used the "Sear"of the SnS, but the "Slow" part works great.  I'm using the 22" SnS on my 26er (they hadn't invented the 26" when I bought mine).

Over the last two weekends I've cooked a pair of 4.5 lb chuckies and and two racks of beef chuck ribs.  It's great that I can fit two disposable half pans in there to catch the drippings.  Once up to temp, I closed the bottom vent completely, kept the top vent at about half, and was able to maintain 250º-275º for about 6 hours without adjustments before adding any more briquettes.





BD

I just got one yesterday and haven't had the chance to cook with it, but Man! this thing is built like a tank. For build quality I give it an A+++++

Yep. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread.


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Quote from: Darko on March 16, 2017, 06:42:06 AMI just got one yesterday

Did you go with the standard SnS, or SnS Plus?

I just received my new "Slow N Sear Plus" and "Drip N Griddle Pan" for my Weber 22" Mastertouch Grill and plan to give it a trial-run in a week or so. 

First Impression was "what a hunk of stainless steel metal"!

Quote from: Bob BQ on March 16, 2017, 01:13:55 PM

Quote from: Darko on March 16, 2017, 06:42:06 AMI just got one yesterday

Did you go with the standard SnS, or SnS Plus?

I got the plus. I like the integrated charccoal grate.

Quote from: Darko on March 17, 2017, 08:59:07 AM

Quote from: Bob BQ on March 16, 2017, 01:13:55 PM

Quote from: Darko on March 16, 2017, 06:42:06 AMI just got one yesterday

Did you go with the standard SnS, or SnS Plus?

I got the plus. I like the integrated charccoal grate.

🏾.


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I have been reading into the SNS.   What is the big benefit of it.   I use the coal baskets with a separate water pan.  I know the SNS is all in one unit.  I also have a smokenator. I use both no problem regulating temps. 

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Quote from: kettlebb on March 16, 2017, 09:50:54 AM
Yep. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread.
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I have the original SnS and think it's better than my Smoke'n-A-tor, my Grandson likes the one I gave him w/ his C&B Perf.  That being said, I like the DnG much better.  No longer need any heat damper, no longer need a drip pan, super easy to clean -and- a real foil saver.   However, I'm going w/ sliced bread as better :)

Really wish I'd waited to get an SnS w/ the charcoal grate   ...    didn't know that it was coming down the pike though :(

SJ

Quote from: thinkblue on March 24, 2017, 03:57:37 PM
I have been reading into the SNS.   What is the big benefit of it.   I use the coal baskets with a separate water pan.  I know the SNS is all in one unit.  I also have a smokenator. I use both no problem regulating temps. 

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If you are doing indirect cooks or slow and low cooks the Slow-n-Sear is like a weber charcoal basket that is 2-3 times as deep.  Other than my first cook where I set my vents like I would with the snake method instead of the directions that came with it, I have not regretted spending money on the SNS!!!!!  It is used for 75% of my cooks and travels back and forth between my 22" and 26" grills.

Quote from: MikeRocksTheRed on April 03, 2017, 08:25:25 PM

Quote from: thinkblue on March 24, 2017, 03:57:37 PM
I have been reading into the SNS.   What is the big benefit of it.   I use the coal baskets with a separate water pan.  I know the SNS is all in one unit.  I also have a smokenator. I use both no problem regulating temps. 

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=91018)

If you are doing indirect cooks or slow and low cooks the Slow-n-Sear is like a weber charcoal basket that is 2-3 times as deep.  Other than my first cook where I set my vents like I would with the snake method instead of the directions that came with it, I have not regretted spending money on the SNS!!!!!  It is used for 75% of my cooks and travels back and forth between my 22" and 26" grills.

There are two different sizes.  Right? one for the 22 and 26. Does it make much of a difference?

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Quote from: thinkblue on April 03, 2017, 08:28:58 PM

Quote from: MikeRocksTheRed on April 03, 2017, 08:25:25 PM

Quote from: thinkblue on March 24, 2017, 03:57:37 PM
I have been reading into the SNS.   What is the big benefit of it.   I use the coal baskets with a separate water pan.  I know the SNS is all in one unit.  I also have a smokenator. I use both no problem regulating temps. 

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=91018)

If you are doing indirect cooks or slow and low cooks the Slow-n-Sear is like a weber charcoal basket that is 2-3 times as deep.  Other than my first cook where I set my vents like I would with the snake method instead of the directions that came with it, I have not regretted spending money on the SNS!!!!!  It is used for 75% of my cooks and travels back and forth between my 22" and 26" grills.

There are two different sizes.  Right? one for the 22 and 26. Does it make much of a difference?

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There are but I haven't found a need for the larger one designed for the 26er yet. 


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I agree with @MikeRocksTheRed.  I got the SnS when they first came out.  When I got my 26er, that was still the only one available, so, of course, that's what I continued to use.  I was still so happy with it, that when Dave brought out the one the one for the 26er, I just kept on with the one the  one I had.

I think the advantage it would have would be the ability to run longer cooks w/o refilling.





BD

A full sns in a 22 is going to give higher temps with the same amount of fuel then if you put it in a 26 I would assume. I have a smokenator for the 26. I don't really see a need for either unless your trying to protect the kettle (sns). Banking coals or using snake method works so well that I never use the smokenator and can't justify getting sns even though it looks like it would be nice.

I use the charcoal rails for 2 zone cooks in the 26. I like that they are infinitely adjustable. I just wish the rails were a couple inches taller.


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I think that the one thing I don't like about the slow & sear, is that it beats the shit out of the grill grates!  I'll have to replace them more often.

Quote from: MikeRocksTheRed on April 03, 2017, 08:25:25 PM

Quote from: thinkblue on March 24, 2017, 03:57:37 PM
I have been reading into the SNS.   What is the big benefit of it.   I use the coal baskets with a separate water pan.  I know the SNS is all in one unit.  I also have a smokenator. I use both no problem regulating temps. 

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Weber Kettle Club mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=91018)

If you are doing indirect cooks or slow and low cooks the Slow-n-Sear is like a weber charcoal basket that is 2-3 times as deep.  Other than my first cook where I set my vents like I would with the snake method instead of the directions that came with it, I have not regretted spending money on the SNS!!!!!  It is used for 75% of my cooks and travels back and forth between my 22" and 26" grills.

A couple of months ago I purchased both the SlowNSear Plus(has charcoal grate) and the DripNGriddle for my Weber 22" "Mastertouch" Grill and both are great products.

Purchased the SNS about a month ago for older performer. Great product.
Last weekend, paired it up with a new digi Q ...sealed bottom vents with flue tape. Amazing upgrade...holds 225 all day with one load of fuel. More consistent than the Wolfe in the kitchen.
Highly recommended!


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Did not try long slow and low cooks on the weber kettle yet (other than a big chicken which took one hour and half) , but this slow n sear looks pretty Amazing for long and slow smoking cooks ! Thks for the reviews.

Going to cook either pork tenderloin or Ribs on my slow  n  sear, this weekend.


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Pork Loin Roast on the Roti w/ the SnS tomorrow . . .





BD

I use the easy spin grate with the SNS and leave off the hinged portion above the coals.


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